1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable casket display apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the funeral industry, people choosing caskets often want to see both the exterior and the interior of the casket. The caskets, however, are heavy and large, often weighing over 150 pounds with a length over five feet long. Displaying a full inventory of caskets requires a large area. Otherwise, the inventory must be stored offsite and people must choose from photographs.
Thus a need exists to increase the number of caskets shown in a space. Using quarter sized caskets or quarter cut is well known in Europe to show both the interior and exterior design. Because only a quarter of the casket is used, more caskets are displayed in the same amount of space.
Another way to increase the number of caskets in a limited space involves stacking caskets on display racks. U.S. Pat. No. 1,841,412 discloses a two tiered casket display rack using brackets bolted to tubular posts. A lower casket sits on extension arms with one pair of rollers fixed to the front of the extension arms. In the fully retracted position the front rollers are above the floor. To pull out the lower casket for viewing, the extension arms ride on bearings until the weight of the casket forces the front rollers onto the floor. To retract, the heavy casket must be rolled off the floor back onto the extension arms. The weight of the bottom casket helps support the weight of the top casket. When the bottom casket is retracted, the weight rests on the arms. When the casket moves outward, the weight shifts forward, destabilizing the display apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,768 discloses another two-tiered rack with a solid steel C-shaped frame. The top casket rests on the frame, while the bottom casket rests on a wheeled dolly. To see the lower casket in this arrangement, the bottom casket slides out on the dolly using a scissors mechanism. To avoid jamming the scissors mechanism from lateral drift and/or rotation, the casket must be properly guided. Also the scissors mechanism must be manipulated manually, usually by applying pressure to the lower casket itself.
Another scissors retractable mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,017. The ""017 patent discloses a casket display apparatus with two side walls connected to a back panel or wall. The ""017 patent includes a two-tiered free-standing casket display rack with the lower rack retractable by a scissors mechanism connected to a rod. The upper rack has steel rails welded to vertical posts at the extreme back ends. The ""017 display apparatus provides no structural support for the display rack. Although the modular display panels are xe2x80x9cportablexe2x80x9d, the rack itself is not.
Like ""017, U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,862 uses a modular casket display apparatus with two side walls connected to a back panel or wall. These walls are weight bearing and support the display apparatus. The back wall and side walls support a retractable lower display rack. With wall panels 5 to 7 feet tall and a back wall length greater than a casket, the display apparatus is neither lightweight nor portable.
The need exists for a portable display apparatus to show a larger number of caskets for the prospective buyer. In addition, the need exists for a display that is truly portable, lightweight and easily assembled than the prior art casket displays.
The present invention relates to a portable display apparatus for displaying caskets, urns, burial vaults and related materials. The portable casket display apparatus is made from a number of extrusions having channels extending longitudinally along the length of their exterior. One display apparatus has a pair of vertical back extrusions releasably connected to first and second horizontal rear extrusions in a spaced apart relationship. Upper and lower pairs of lateral extrusions releasably connect to the vertical back extrusion in a spaced apart relationship. A sliding mechanism attaches to each lower lateral extrusion in a channel facing inward. A bottom casket support releasably connects to the sliding mechanism.
Another casket display apparatus has a pair of vertical back extrusions releasably connected to first and second horizontal rear extrusions in a spaced apart relationship. Upper and lower pairs of lateral extrusions releasably connect to the vertical back extrusion in a spaced apart relationship. A horizontal front extrusion releasably connects to the upper pair of lateral extrusions, while a pair of vertical front extrusions releasably connects to the front extrusion and the lower pair of lateral extrusions. Each extrusion has an exterior channel extending longitudinally along its length.
Additional effects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows.